Sardar Mohazzam
Islamabad
Summary
Dr. Sardar Mohazzam is an energy policy expert with 20 years of experience, specializing in electricity sector reforms. He recently served as Managing Director of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and Chief Executive Officer of Energy Conservation Fund, where he led the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy 2023 and Action Plan 2024-2030. He has served in advisory role with the World Bank, ADB, and UNDP, and worked with Pakistan’s Ministries of Finance, Planning, and Energy on energy sector. He was involved in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution reforms — including power planning, demand-side management, public-private partnerships, and CPEC energy projects. He has led the development of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Action Plan and Investment Prospectus. A Fulbright Scholar with a Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Policy, he also holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon (AusAID Scholar). He has taught policy and economics at National Defense University, LUMS, and other institutions, and is a prolific writer on energy sector transformation.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Adjunct Faculty Member
Lahore University of Management Science
01.2018
- I offered a course entitled “Energy Economics: An Interdisciplinary Perspective”. I am leading the team of professors from the University of Delaware, USA and LUMS to offer the course.
Managing Director
National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, Power Division, Government of Pakistan
11.2019 - 01.2025
- I have worked as the Managing Director of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority which is the federal focal agency mandated for initiating, catalyzing and coordinating all Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) activities in different sectors of economy. I have also worked as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Energy Conservation Fund which is the financial arm for implementation of Energy Efficiency and Conservation measures. My key responsibilities were to:
- Prepare and implement National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy and Action Plan.
- Institutionalize Energy Efficiency and Conservation in the country through establishment of Provincial Designated Agencies
- Prepare Programs and Projects to secure fundings and grants from Government and International Development Organization
- Develop Innovative Financing Mechanism in collaboration with State Bank of Pakistan, private sector banks and non-IFIs
- Prepare Pakistan Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure and Battery Swapping Regulations
- Develop the Energy Conservation Building Codes (part of Green Building Code) and Bye-Laws for implementation
- Re-vitalize NEECA through initiating, developing, and executing organizational development Strategy, Human Resource Structuring, Mobilization of Financing, and steering the energy efficiency and conservation mandate at national and provincial level.
- Develop mechanism for Public Private Partnership through REIT funds.
Economic Corridor Development - Energy Specialist
Asian Development Bank, Pakistan
07.2018 - 11.2019
- As a National Economic Corridors Development Specialist in the Context of the Energy Sector. I evaluated Pakistan’s power sector tariff though development and implementation of an analytical tool to analyze different scenarios (optimal and full-cost recovery tariff etc.) and presented policy recommendations based on the scenario analysis in the form of a policy paper. My key responsibilities were:
- Undertaking detail research, analysis and sector assessment of the energy sector in the context of economic corridor development and PPPs opportunities.
- Evaluating Pakistan’s Power Sector Tariff to develop an analytical tool to examine different tariff scenarios (optimal and full-cost recovery tariff etc)
- Providing advice on energy-related aspect of DFID-funded PECP projects, including supporting PPPs and infrastructure financing at Punjab, Sindh and Federal level.
- Based on Scenario Analysis prepare recommendations for policymakers. Also, working with ADB teams in identifying knowledge and capacity building.
Consultant Carbon Pricing Mechanism
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
08.2018 - 12.2018
- I worked as a consultant to determine the design for carbon pricing instrument would be the most appropriate and beneficial for Pakistan if any. Carbon pricing instruments can help guide economies towards a sustainable low carbon future and, therefore, support the achievement of NDC targets. This is exploratory research and new in the context of Pakistan.
Consultant for Action on Climate Today
Oxford Policy Management Limited / DFID
10.2017 - 12.2018
- I worked as consultant for “Planning for Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture, Energy, Irrigation, and Planning and Development Departments, Government of Punjab”. My key responsibilities were:
- Coordination with key stakeholders for Project Preparation for Climate Action Today (ACT)
- I am offering research and training to the government department on Climate Risk Proofing for Infrastructure Projects in Punjab.
- Working with teams in identifying knowledge and capacity building.
Consultant for Strategic Support for Energy Efficiency in Pakistan
The World Bank Group
07.2017 - 05.2018
- I have worked as a Short-Term Consultant for Strategic Support for Energy Efficiency in Pakistan. I assisted National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) and the World Bank to i) the review of international experience with Demand Side Energy Efficiency (DSEE) deployment programs ii) knowledge exchange on DSEE with key stakeholders iii) preparation of detailed Business Plan for NEECA, covering the first three years of its operations iv) selection of specialists technical expertise and vi) design of a programmatic series of investments in DSEE in the country. Some of the responsibilities included:
- Analyzing Pakistan’s NDC focusing on mitigation through energy efficiency and conducting impact analysis of designed programs towards achieving NDC targets.
- Coordination with key stakeholders working on energy efficiency in Pakistan working together with government in collaboration with International development partners.
- Mapping of current and planned Government and Donor initiatives focusing on EE.
- Working with team in identifying knowledge and capacity building needs of NEECA.
- Supporting in development and preparation of certain aspects of detail Business Plan.
- Designing a programmatic series of investment in DSEE for Pakistan.
Lead Consultant Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All)
Untied National Development Programme (UNDP)
02.2016 - 12.2017
- SE4All under UNDP-Institutional Support to Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. SE4All has three major goals a) Energy Access for All b) Doubling the share of Energy Efficiency and Conservation and c) Doubling the rate of Renewable Energy. I performed the following task.
- Coordination and Collaboration
- Enhance coordination among various stakeholders working in the sector – energy access and grids, energy efficiency and renewable energy in Pakistan working together with government in collaboration with International development partners.
- Working with public sector; Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Water and Power, DISCOs, NTDC and PEPCO
- Work in close cooperation with national utility companies, business community, chamber of commerce and industries to involve them in the process of development of country action agenda.
- Support UNDP, Government to organize stakeholder consultations in the process of development of agenda and capacity building
- Supervision of the entire process along with the team consultants for SE4ALL, spearheading the consultative process and overall progress of the Action Agenda / Investment Prospectus.
Research Associate / PhD
College of Engineering, CEEP, University of Delaware, USA
09.2011 - 06.2017
- I was awarded Fulbright PhD scholarship for PhD in Energy and Environmental Policy. My dissertation is entitled “Innovation in Resource Access for Sustainable Development: Addressing the Sustainability Challenge of the Energy-Water Nexus”. In this research theoretically addressed the foundations of access and designing the institutions innovatively to ensure access. In this research, Punjab two district (Multan and Muzaffargarh) were taken as case study to understand the energy-water nexus. In addition to that, at the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP), I worked as Research Associate and completed number of research projects.
Fellow
MIT Climate CoLab, Center for Collective Intelligence, USA
04.2014 - 12.2016
- As a Fellow at the MIT Climate Co Lab, I reviewed and provided feedback to proposals submitted for the Climate CoLab contest on three areas: “Energy Supply”, “Shifting behavior for a Changing Climate”, and “Energy Water Nexus”. My team was winner of 2014 Climate CoLab context for “Financing for Renewable Energy”. With MIT core team, I was involved in development of novelty evaluation mechanism.
Energy Economist / Consultant Energy Sector Reforms
Ministry of Finance,Islamabad Pakistan
01.2015 - 09.2015
- I worked as consultant for ‘Sustainable Energy Sector Reforms’ where I coordinated with Ministry of Water and Power, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources (MPNR), Ministry of Finance (Economic Reform Unit), National Electricity Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Planning Commission as well as other development partners such as Asian Development Bank (ADB), JICA, USAID and World Bank Group. I was involved in the process of privatization of DISCOs program and Least Cost Transmission and Generation Plan in collaboration with JICA.
- Leading the team of consultants, I authored the quarterly reports for Energy Sector Reforms and updating the Policy Matrix agreed under Development Policy Credits. I have been instrumental in delivering MPNR quarterly report for last quarter. I also developed monitoring mechanism through Management Information System for power sector “planned capacity additions”. I have worked with AEDB and NEPRA on regulation and policies, setting upfront tariff, developing policy and regulatory framework.
- Japan International Cooperation Agency
Intern (Energy Economist)
Asian Development Bank, Manila Philippines
06.2012 - 08.2012
- As a consultant / Intern with Asian Development Bank on Project “Economics of Solar Powered Irrigation Pump use in India”. I completed an assessment of switching of power irrigation subsidy to invest on Solar Irrigation pumps. Based on technical, financial feasibility and economic and environmental viability the recommendations were presented. Financing mechanism such as revolving fund for use with ODA (Official Development Assistance) was proposed for this project.
Assistant Professor
Department of Government & Public Policy, National Defense University, Islamabad
02.2004 - 08.2011
- Department of Government and Public Policy is first ever public policy program for public sector in Pakistan. In the pioneer department, my role was Policy Practitioner and Assistant Professor, I have completed different task in my capacity. I taught courses on policy analysis, program evaluation, empirical analysis, information technology and public policy, natural resources and environmental economics. I have supervised different projects following is the selected list of the projects:
- Supervised Projects at Government & Public Policy Dept.
- Pakistan’s Energy Sector Policy Analysis
- Solid Waste Management and Project Design for CDM
- Evaluation of National Internship Program
- Land Grabbing in Pakistan – Incentive for Insurance
- Research Projects at National Security & War College
- Fragile States: A perfect ground for democracy & governance
- Human Resource Development in Pakistan
- Immigration towards better quality of life
- Promoting National Cohesion through Education in Pakistan
- Enterprise Resource Planning: A Case Study of Defense
- Cyber Security Threats and Prevention in Pakistan
Software Developer
State Bank of Pakistan Automation / Hyundai Information Technology
07.2003 - 08.2003
- I worked as software Developer for Data Warehousing project.
- Managed and developed Enterprise Resource Planning architecture
- Migrated the Data from legacy system of State Bank of Pakistan to Oracle Database System.
Education
Diploma - Sustainable Finance
Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
Ph.D. - Energy & Environmental Policy
University of Delaware
USA01.2017
MS - Public Policy and Management
Carnegie Mellon University
USA01.2008
M.Sc. - Computer Science
Quaid-e-Azam University
Pakistan01.2003
B.Sc. - Math & Computer
Peshawar University
Peshawar, Pakistan01.2000
Project Coordinator / Programmer
Conceived, proposed and developed an IT infrastructure and Enterprise Resource Planning Project “Centre of IT Inoculation for Security Strategists”., Managed and developed National Defense University, Islamabad Website http://www.ndu.edu.pk, Delivered lectures and imparted trainings for National Security Workshops on IT., Developed proposal, coordinated and deployed “Joint Theatre Level Simulation Project” (JTLS). JTILS is software to develop and exercise different scenarios for war games training., Supervised and operated NDU Internet Services Center.
Certification
- Winner MIT Climate CoLab contest for US Government Category
- Fulbright Scholarship for 2011-2016 for Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Policy
- Australian Development Scholarship and Carnegie Mellon Scholarship for 2008
PUBLICATIONS & STUDIES
- Hamayon, Mohazzam, S., Saleem Ali 2024. "The Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus in Asia and the Pacific - Central and South Asia"
- Raza, K., MOHAZZAM, S., QAYYUM, S. and SOOMRO, M.H., 2021. Leveraging Global Partnerships to Achieve SDG 7: A Case Study of Pakistan.
- Mohazzam, Sardar, Ayesha Ali, and Saleem H. Ali. "Greening energy provision in Urban Pakistan." Urban studies and entrepreneurship (2020): 227-247.
- Iftikhar, M., Najeeb, F., Mohazzam, S. and Khan, S., 2017. Sustainable energy for all in South Asia potential, challenges, and solutions (No. id: 12275).
- Mohazzam, S., 2017. Innovation in resource access for sustainable development: addressing the sustainability challenge of the energy-water nexus. University of Delaware.
- Atif, S.M. and Mohazzam, S., 2012. Inclusive Growth Strategies for Pakistan– Myth or Reality for Policymakers!. Available at SSRN 2101991.
- Atif, S.M. and Mohazzam, S., Inclusive Growth Strategies for Pakistan.
- Syed Muhammad, A. and Sardar, M., 2012. Inclusive Growth Strategies for Pakistan: Myth or Reality for Policymakers!.
- Chapter: Greening Energy Provision in Urban Pakistan in book Urban Studies and Entrepreneurship.
- Report: Scaling Up Electric Mobility in Pakistan (2021), the study sponsored by UNDP NDC Support Program https://www.undp.org/pakistan/publications/scaling-electric-mobility-pakistan
- Report: Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience (SoLAR) The potential of solar irrigation for Pakistan: a critical inquiry by International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
- Energy Efficiency Roadmap for Pakistan with World Bank (2018). https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/281068155529634575/pdf/Energy-Efficiency-Roadmap-for-Pakistan.pdf
- Pakistan’s First Biennial Update Report (BUR-1) April 2022 Submitted To the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) https://unfccc.int/documents/470405
- Reviewed and proof read the overall Second National Communication (SNC) chapters submitted by different organizations (2019). http://www.gcisc.org.pk/SNC_Pakistan.pdf
Timeline
Managing Director
National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, Power Division, Government of Pakistan
11.2019 - 01.2025
Consultant Carbon Pricing Mechanism
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
08.2018 - 12.2018
Economic Corridor Development - Energy Specialist
Asian Development Bank, Pakistan
07.2018 - 11.2019
Adjunct Faculty Member
Lahore University of Management Science
01.2018
Consultant for Action on Climate Today
Oxford Policy Management Limited / DFID
10.2017 - 12.2018
Consultant for Strategic Support for Energy Efficiency in Pakistan
The World Bank Group
07.2017 - 05.2018
Lead Consultant Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All)
Untied National Development Programme (UNDP)
02.2016 - 12.2017
Energy Economist / Consultant Energy Sector Reforms
Ministry of Finance,Islamabad Pakistan
01.2015 - 09.2015
Fellow
MIT Climate CoLab, Center for Collective Intelligence, USA
04.2014 - 12.2016
Intern (Energy Economist)
Asian Development Bank, Manila Philippines
06.2012 - 08.2012
Research Associate / PhD
College of Engineering, CEEP, University of Delaware, USA
09.2011 - 06.2017
Assistant Professor
Department of Government & Public Policy, National Defense University, Islamabad
02.2004 - 08.2011
Software Developer
State Bank of Pakistan Automation / Hyundai Information Technology
07.2003 - 08.2003
Ph.D. - Energy & Environmental Policy
University of Delaware
MS - Public Policy and Management
Carnegie Mellon University
M.Sc. - Computer Science
Quaid-e-Azam University
B.Sc. - Math & Computer
Peshawar University
Diploma - Sustainable Finance
Frankfurt School of Finance and Management